A 16-year-old boy has been charged with murder in connection with the death of 13-year-old Layla Jeffery, whose remains were discovered on Thursday afternoon in Donald, Victoria. The arrest followed a large-scale search after the girl was reported missing on July 5.

Police allege Layla Jeffery was murdered on July 4, the day she was last seen. The accused boy, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, appeared in Children's Court on Saturday evening. He was remanded in custody and is scheduled to appear in court again in November. The court heard the boy has "some cognitive deficits."

Detective Inspector Dunstan stated on Friday that the boy was known to police and expressed confidence that those responsible are in custody. He described the situation as a "tragic outcome for the Donald community."

Layla Jeffery was last seen on McCracken Street in Donald, a town approximately 280km north-west of Melbourne. Her aunt, Kaitlyn Cheyne, told The Age that Layla had been awake late on July 3, sending TikTok videos and that she had turned on a light before leaving the house around 4 a.m. on July 4, indicating an intention to return.

"After that, we don't have any confirmation of where she went or what has happened. We just know that she was here, and then she wasn't," Cheyne said. "She had turned the light on before she left because she was planning to come back."

Cheyne also mentioned that Layla and the boy knew each other through mutual friends in the small town where residents generally know one another. Layla's mother is reportedly devastated. "As hard as it is and as horrible as it is, we were somewhat prepared for this outcome. As much as we wanted her home, we were not naive," Cheyne added, expressing relief that the family did not discover the remains themselves.

Friends and family remembered Layla as a sassy, confident girl who took pride in her appearance. "We just want justice, but we just have to wait and see," her aunt stated.

Two other individuals, a 53-year-old from Donald and a 55-year-old from Melbourne, are assisting police with inquiries but have not been arrested.